September 9, 2011

Well, they did address the sex discrimination problem. Originally, Madison Prep was to be an all-boys charter school — with the Madison school district is pouring $10.5 million into this lavish experiment. After hearing from the ACLU, there will be equal numbers of boys and girls, albeit with boys and girls in separate classrooms.

Did they hear from groups who are concerned about setting up a separate school for "minorities"? The school — with the original all-boys structure — was proposed by the Urban League of Greater Madison.

"No Justice Scalia we aren't moving the poor minority children to a different school to separate them from the white kids. I mean sure, the net effect is that they are segregated from the white kids, but it's really for their own good. Actually we're just separating 120 of them from the other somewhat less poor minority kids that we don't care as much about."

Would anyone object if it were suggested to put the 'slower learner' kids all in a singled-out class, so that techniques appropriate to their special needs could be addressed without it hurting the progress of others, and without the embarrassing side-by-side comparisons to over-achievers causing the slow learners to act out?

Of course, school choice and charter schools like the ones they shut down in D.C. would help, but the libs won't allow that.

In the meantime, the white middle class will continue to work and struggle on their own without any special government programs, educational or otherwise, to help them. And, they will to succeed for the most part. Working and struggling is how success happens.

So what's the difference between a school "geared towards low-income minorities" and a school for regular people? Is there a different curriculum (Afrocentic?), more computers, nicer buildings? What's it all about?

Madison is too liberal to make a school like this work. They'll never hold black students, parents, teachers or administrators responsible for poor performance. They'll find some other...white...oh look, there's Scott Walker!

PC horseshit. The boys, of all races, are becoming second class citizens in public education. When I went back to college in 1999 to get my teaching certification[secondary school history], of all the horsehit they taught in the school of education, the biggest indoctrination was "giving girls their voice." 80% of public school teachers are women. Boys get shit on, and when one segment of boys is about to get a well deserved program..the fucking feminist pc shitstorm starts.

I am all for what the Urban League proposed and hope that the ACLU's inteference does not diminish the chances for this project to succeed. First, my hat is off to the UL in their recognition that minority boys need help and they need it in the company of other boys. They are to be commended for not bowing to the multiple PC traps that this presents. Young minority men are fucked unless we drop most of the PC bullshit that has enthralled educators for decades. God willing there will be well qualified male teachers to staff this experiment.

My daughter visted a school on the other side of town and reported to us that "they must be rich!" That school was beautiful--lots of tech touches that screamed expensive. The school sits in the middle of a poor area of town, with many immigrant families.

My daughter's school, on the "rich" side of town, hasn't been updated since it was built in 1960. It has air conditioning, but only because the PTO paid for it. The poor schools don't have to pay for air conditioning or playground equipment or much of anything.

What I do mind is the attitude that kids will learn IF their schools are renovated and IF they have plenty of computers and IF they have bright classrooms. The kids at my daughter's school learn just fine.

Instead of all this magical thinking about what will make it possible for [fill in the category] kids to learn, how about if the teachers and parents EXPECT them to learn?

Black boys probably have a tougher time because their families are ripped up because of the War on Drugs or the War on Poverty. Think how much $$ we could save if we stopped senseless wars!

This is PC horseshit. The public school system is feminized. I suspect young black males could use more male role models than the average kid. Yeah, it's expensive but fuck can we try something? How about some fucking vouchers? Something. Jesus what we have sucks ass. Not saying the parents aren't mostly repsonsible here, but come on if we are going to have public school we can do better.

I have read the Smithsonian article about schools in Finland. Finland apparently has the best performing schools in the world. What is their secret? According to the article, they pay their teachers lots of money. Let us, therefore, dispense with this nonsense and double teacher's salaries. In rapid order, the scholastic performance of our students will also soon double. If we love our children, we will pay their teachers more money.

What is their secret? According to the article, they pay their teachers lots of money.Are you positive that is the ONLY relevant difference? I have a sneaking suspicion that there might be some other parts of the Finnish system that the PTB would not be so keen to emulate.

Finns don't start schooling until 7 or 8. And even then it's not this all day, strap to their desks and bury them in homework nonsense that we love so much.

Here in Germany kids have a slightly longer school year, but they're out every day by lunch. They start real school a year later than we do. And they take it very seriously. One example is that in American schools, they frown on bringing in a child that has a sniffle. They are constantly imploring everyone to keep even the barest of sick children home. In the German school system, try to call a kid in sick and you get interrogated. How are they sick? How sick are they? Are you sure this is worth missing school over?

I suspect the Finns do something similar. And I suspect the different approach has a bigger impact on different results than teacher pay.

Also in Finland (and in Germany) they pay mothers to stay home with their children for several years. It's not exactly extended maternity leave but it is a stipend that enables families to forgo one income. That probably affects child development in some way, too.

Finland apparently has the best performing schools in the world. What is their secret? According to the article, they pay their teachers lots of money.

I wonder how our teachers would measure up to Finnish teachers on standardized tests. If our teachers can measure up on actual knowledge, not credentials - knowledge, go for it. But, we don't need to be handing out raises to a bunch of second rate teachers.

William. I happen to agree that we should pay our teachers a lot more. Not to reward those present in the system but to encourage bright and ambitious graduates into the field. But first the unions have to go and many if not all of the "certification" requirements that have created a guild that has prevented a lot of smart retirees, for instance, from entering the field.

I keep thinking there are some real differences between Finland and the United States which could explain the difference in educational results. As hard as I looked, I couldn't find any. Except for the language, Helsinki, is just like any big American city.

Actually this may work, if only because it removes the most disruptive kids from other schools. Did anyone say this was an important element of the program? Of course not. But it is, and everybody knows it.

I coached an exchange student from Finland one summer. She played softball w/ my daughter in high school. She wasn't very good but had a great attitude and was a positive influence on the team.

As the summer was winding down and she was preparing to return home after her year here we planned a party. I asked what she would like to do. Well, in the converstion I learned she had never been to a ML baseball game. That solved it..tailgating and a game @ Miller Park. She got to see the great Ken Griffey, Jr. The one food item she really wanted was roasted corn on the cob. I videotaped the entire evening and made a dvd for her and her teammates. This girl was bright, engaging, and now is an MD in Finland. Foreign exchange programs are invaluable.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again, let discrimination be legal. Once you establish that, then you can deal with each and every problem in this country, based on race without being sued by a bunch of fucking lawers.

"Except for the language, Helsinki, is just like any big American city."

Steve, you just broke a record for the most ridiculous single sentence statement on Althouse Blog this year.

Check into: parental educational attainment, income level, multilingual speaking proficency, race, percentage of immigrants, family stability, crime, etc. Then compare these statistics not just to the overall population of our big cities but to the African American population. Compare it to Detroit, or any other American city with an African American majority.

It's hard to exaggerate what a disaster the education of African Americans has been in my adult lifetime (since the 1960's). A total, highly consequential failure at all levels of government and society. Yet we persist in the same approaches and attitudes that have lead to 50 years of failure.